Press Release
Hannaford introduces new “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative with more than $1.5 million in community donations
Sep. 13, 2022
Description
New initiative will increase access to nutritious food for under-resourced individuals with chronic health conditions in New England and New York
Details:
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Hannaford introduces new “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative with more than $1.5 million in community donations
New initiative will increase access to nutritious food for under-resourced individuals with chronic health conditions in New England and New York
SCARBOROUGH, ME – Hannaford Supermarkets and the Hannaford Charitable Foundation today announced more than $1.5 million in donations to support the prioritization of wholesome, fresh and nutritious foods as part of a comprehensive health care plan for under-resourced individuals and families in New England and New York.
The donation is the signature element of Hannaford’s new “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative, which highlights the importance of nutritious food in achieving long-term wellness for food insecure individuals with a history of chronic illness.
A total of five non-profit organizations in New England and New York will receive funding to host programs that increase access to healthy, fresh food tailored to the specific needs of an individual’s health conditions. Program participants will also receive nutrition education designed to help them achieve and maintain their health and wellness goals.
“At Hannaford, we have long believed that healthy, fresh food is a critical ingredient to ensuring the vitality of our communities,” said Hannaford Charitable Foundation Board Chair Peter Forester, who also serves as senior vice president of merchandising for the grocery retailer. “Healthy meal programs break down the barriers that many individuals face in regularly accessing the wholesome, nutritious meals that their bodies and minds need. We look forward to seeing these programs grow and become an integral part of person-centered care in the years to come.”
Sitting at the crossroads of nutrition and healthcare, the concept commonly referred to as “Food As Medicine” focuses on the prioritization of a fresh and nutrient-rich diet as a critical component of a comprehensive treatment plan for chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Studies have demonstrated that medically-tailored nutrition intervention can accelerate treatment and recovery for patients with chronic health conditions, while lowering healthcare costs by reducing utilization and hospital admissions. Data collected through the Hannaford-funded projects will be used to help establish sustainable funding streams for healthy meal programs within each partner organization.
“We're thrilled with this partnership with Hannaford and members of our communities to use food as a tool to improve health, just as we do with medicine,” said Dora Anne Mills, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Health Improvement Officer at MaineHealth. “This partnership exemplifies our vision at MaineHealth of working together so our communities are the healthiest in America."
The more than $1.5 million in donations resulting from the new “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative will be distributed to community organizations in New England and New York as follows:
$350,000 to MaineHealth
The $350,000 donation to MaineHealth will support the introduction of a Food As Medicine program at Franklin Community Health Network (FHCN), which includes Franklin Memorial Hospital, in Farmington. Facilitated by Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County, an FCHN department, the one-year pilot program serves Franklin County individuals with one or more chronic health conditions who have limited access to healthy food and have a MaineHealth primary care provider.
The program provides access to free, healthy food from the MaineHealth Food Pantry at Franklin. Food for the pantry is sourced primarily from Good Shepherd Food Bank. Participants also receive access to peer support, goal setting, healthy cooking classes, recipes, and menu planning with a health educator. Participants are referred to the program by healthcare providers. The program launched in June 2022.
Additionally, the funding will support a healthy meal delivery program for Mainers recently discharged from the hospital with certain heart disease diagnoses under the direction of Dr. Mylan Cohen. The program, which delivers heart-healthy meals directly to an individual’s home, allows patients to focus on their recovery while providing nutrient-rich dishes tailored to their specific needs.
“What we eat matters. When access to healthy food is limited or nonexistent, it can mean the difference between a good quality of life or losing a battle with chronic disease. What we put in our bodies fuels our health outcomes,” said LeeAnna Lavoie, M.P.H, Director of the Healthy Community Coalition. “We’re so fortunate to have this funding to develop a program for our patients and provide them the access to these foods, while supporting them through behavior change and building lifelong skills.”
$300,000 to The Food Pantries for the Capital District in New York
The $300,000 donation to The Food Pantries for the Capital District in Albany, NY will support the enrollment of individuals with chronic health issues into the non-profit organization’s healthy meal delivery program, which provides nutritious and balanced prepared meals to homebound individuals who cannot produce meals themselves.
Over the course of six months beginning in mid-September, participants will receive three meals daily for their entire household. Participants, who are referred by health care providers or insurers and meet food insecurity guidelines, also receive nutrition education from a registered dietitian.
Traditionally focused on medically-tailored grocery packages, which required program participants to cook and prepare meals on their own, the program has evolved to include fully-prepared meals organized under the direction of a registered dietitian.
“Hannaford has long been a generous and reliable partner to The Food Pantries for the Capital District. This investment in our ‘Food As Medicine’ program is transformational, taking our relationship to a new level,” said The Food Pantries for the Capital District Executive Director Natasha Pernicka. “We are honored that our friends at Hannaford see the real impact this work will have in people's lives—not just over the course of the next year, but well into the future.”
$300,000 to the New Hampshire Food Bank
The $300,000 donation to the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester, NH will support a new round of participants in the organization’s medically-tailored meals pilot program, which delivers specially-formulated meals to food insecure individuals living with chronic diseases.
Over a six-month period anticipated to begin in early 2023, participants will receive a weekly delivery containing five pre-made frozen meals and the ingredients for two additional meals to prepare themselves, as well as healthy snacks and side dishes. Participants also receive nutrition education materials, grocery guides, meal patterns, menu suggestions and general wellness activities.
“We are thrilled to have the support of Hannaford’s to fulfill our pilot of medically tailored meals,” said New Hampshire Food Bank Executive Director Eileen Groll Liponis. “Their funding really took us to the finish line and we are prepared to design what we hope will be a significant contribution to the Food As Medicine movement.”
$250,000 to Community Servings in Massachusetts
The $250,000 donation to Community Servings in Jamaica Plain, Mass. will support the non-profit organization’s home-delivered medically-tailored meal program to individuals and their family members experiencing critical and chronic illnesses.This funding will support the preparation and delivery of approximately 200,000 medically tailored meals to 850 clients, their dependent children, and caregivers experiencing illness and food insecurity.
Recognized as a pioneer and national leader in the Food As Medicine movement, Community Servings has experienced significant growth since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The agency currently serves more than 90,000 meals per month in comparison to 40,000 meals in early 2020. Community Servings’ medically tailored meal program offers a high level of customization with 15 different medical diets, available in more than 90 different diet combinations.
Community Servings in partnership with Hannaford will welcome all “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” grantees for a day of shared learnings and resources at their headquarters in Jamaica Plain in mid-September.
“In just two years, the number of clients receiving our medically-tailored meals has increased by 135 percent, and we're called upon to do more every week," said Community Servings CEO David B. Waters. “This generous gift from Hannaford Supermarkets and the Hannaford Charitable Foundation could not come at a better time as we look to scale our operations and staffing to meet unrelenting demand for meals. Thanks to Hannaford’s investment, we will be able to expand our reach in priority communities in Massachusetts.”
$100,000 to Age Well in Vermont
The $100,000 donation to Age Well in Colchester, VT will support the introduction of a new component to the non-profit organization’s Meals on Wheels program, which delivers nutritious and balanced prepared meals to homebound older adults throughout Vermont.
In addition to their meal, program participants will now receive a snack as part of their daily delivery. The participants are broken into two sectors: the first group receives a nutritious snack tailored to their health conditions; and a second group which receives a different snack. Individuals will be monitored for results over the course of a one-year period to assess the impact of the nutritious snack on their overall health and wellness. All participants also take part in monthly meetings with a registered dietitian to help navigate best strategies to support the management of their chronic health condition.
“As a family physician for over forty years in Vermont, I have learned that one way to improve healthcare for older Vermonters is to invest more in community based services, like Age Well,” said Dr. Allan Ramsay, President of the Board of Directors for Age Well. “Treating nutritional food as medicine for people with diabetes can lead to better control of this disease and better quality of life.”
Hannaford has committed to issuing $300,000 in additional grant funding to similar programs that support healthy meal programs for individuals with chronic health conditions as part of the “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative. Funding options are currently being evaluated with an announcement expected in 2023.
The new “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative further illustrates Hannaford’s longstanding commitment to supporting organizations and programs that keep its communities healthy and thriving. In 2021, Hannaford donated 25 million pounds of food to local hunger relief organizations. In 2019, Hannaford introduced its “Fuel Kids at School” program with a $1 million commitment to establish 90 food pantries at schools across the Northeast.
To learn more about the overall impact of Hannaford’s “Eat Well, Be Well – A Path to Better Health” initiative, view the video at https://vimeo.com/747996384.
For more information about Hannaford’s community efforts and charitable giving initiatives, visit Hannaford.com/HannafordHelps.
About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets operates 184 stores in the Northeast, most with full-service pharmacies. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All are committed to offering great fresh food, convenient experiences and everyday low prices. Hannaford also is an active and committed community partner—focusing on fighting hunger, supporting youth development, and helping people live healthier lives. Hannaford is an industry leader in sustainability with a strong commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment. Hannaford diverts or donates all food at risk of going to waste—sending no food to landfills. In 2020, Hannaford donated more than 25 million pounds of food to hunger relief organizations and prevented 65 million pounds of food waste from reaching landfills. Hannaford employs nearly 30,000 associates and is based in Scarborough, Maine. Additional information can be found at
Hannaford.com.
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Media Contact:
Caitlin Cortelyou
External Communications Manager, Hannaford Supermarkets
207-885-3132